This Frankfurt sculpture depicts a discus thrower at the peak of his physical exertion. Naukydes, a famous sculptor of the Greek classical period, chooses for his work the moment of greatest concentration and bodily alignment. Thus, the young man…

Apollo was a multifaceted god. The precise significance of his name is unclear – it can be translated as »proclaimer« but also as »destroyer«.
The Greeks had many epithets for him. Homer calls him a »devourer of mice« (smintheus), »hitter of…

Hermes is the son of Zeus and the nymph Maia. He is the messenger and herald of the gods, escort of guests to Olympia, accompanier of heroes on their adventures, and transmitter of the gods’ messages to mortals. Thus, he is also the tutelary god…

Greek gods are accompanied by fabulous creatures who enrich the narrative space that develops and embellishes their powers. Thus, Aphrodite, the goddess of love, sends forth her winged Erotes to awaken love in human beings. By contrast, Dionysos,…

The early classical sculptor Myron enjoyed great renown. He succeeded in depicting an athlete shortly before releasing the discus, entirely caught up in the dynamic of his movement. Today, that figure is the best-known work of Greek and Roman…

When the tyrant Peisistratos seized power over Athens in 550 BC, the aristocratic ruling class felt humiliated. Questionable though its political legitimacy was, however, the tyrannis did lay important foundations for the city’s successful…